Starring K. J. Mahadevan and S.D.Subbalakshmi, the film was produced at the height of India's freedom movement and glorified Mahatma Gandhi and his ideals in no mean terms.
The story for the film was based on a novel written by Kalki Krishnamurthy and was financed and distributed by S. S. Vasan before he created Gemini Studios.
In his anxiety to ensure that his daughter starts her marital life, Sambu sells his properties and pays a huge dowry to Sridharan's father for taking Savitri into their household.
Sambu Sastri shelters Harijans in his home when they are rendered homeless by a cyclone, thus inviting social ostracism from the community.
When he does not find anyone around and nobody claims the child, he decides to bring her up himself in his own way and goes to Nallan, his erstwhile servant, who has settled down in Chavadikuppam, a suburb of Madras.
The very sight of Charu strikes a chord in Uma Rani's heart; she immediately orders the matron to treat the dog.
Without revealing her true identity, Uma Rani pays frequent visits to Chavadikuppam to meet her child and father.
Sambu Sastri, who has resolved to spend the rest of his life for the upliftment of the poor and the masses, takes Charu with him when he visits villages.
Finally, Sridharan wins the case, but is unable to change Uma Rani's will as she has decided to dedicate her life for a cause.
In 1937, the pro-independence Indian National Congress defeated the pro-British Justice Party for the first time in the elections to the Madras Legislative Assembly and Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari was sworn in as the Chief Minister.
As an immediate consequence of this change of guard, censorship was relaxed on films glorifying the freedom movement and national leaders.
[2][5] However, censorship was reimposed when the Congress Government resigned on the eve of India's entry into the Second World War.
British Government policy was to either completely prohibit films with "potentially seditious" or subject them to strict censorship.
Pattammal "Desiya Sevai Seyya Vareer", it was banned as soon as the Governor took over the administration in 1940 when the film had already been running full for 22 weeks.
This brought in a huge rush of viewers and finally the ban became enforced after a lathi charge took place inside the theatre.
Papanasam Sivan penned the Tamil version of "Krishna Née Begane Baro" and tuned it.
Her mother Vatsala[6] (Alamelu Viswanathan) sang the song to which Baby Saroja danced in the film.
Subbulakshmi and Baby Saroja to write a story that intertwined characters written for them set in the social milieu of reformation, the freedom movement and personal sacrifice.
The newer Hindi version of the film marked the anniversary of the ban on the original and served as a tribute to the memory of S. Krisnaswamy's father.